Court issues NBW against Ramesh Bagwe

ST Correspondent

Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Pune: A judicial magistrate’s court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against former minister of state (home)
Ramesh Bagwe, who is Pune city president of the Congress, in a cheating and forgery case. The court has ordered Vishrambaug police station to produce Bagwe before the court on April 17.

Pune: A judicial magistrate’s court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against former minister of state (home)
Ramesh Bagwe, who is Pune city president of the Congress, in a cheating and forgery case. The court has ordered Vishrambaug police station to produce Bagwe before the court on April 17.

The order came based on a private complaint filed by Ramjoo Aref Ali (58) of Navi Peth. Ali has alleged that Bagwe and his accomplice advocate Raheel Malik (44) of Nana Peth defrauded him of Rs 45 lakh under the pretext of selling a 1,000 sq ft residential-cum-commercial property in Camp.

According to his complaint, Ali had showed him the property and introduced him to Bagwe, who held ‘power of attorney’ on behalf of the owner. Khoda Sheriyar Irani. “They showed me the power of attorney document for the property located on Centre Street in Camp. The cost of the shop was finalised at Rs 45 lakh. Ali prepared sale documents and obtained my signature as buyer and Bagwe’s as power of attorney holder. I paid Rs 25 lakh by cheque and transferred Rs 20 lakh in Bagwe’s account in 2014.

However, Rs 20 lakh was re-credited to my account as I was given the wrong account number of Bagwe. Later, his son accompanied me to the bank and I again transferred Rs 20 lakh. However, the property was not registered in my name. Later, I found out that the power of attorney was not registered at the sub registrar’s office. When I confronted them, they assured to return my amount but haven’t returned it till date,” Ali said.

He has contended that Malik was his lawyer and knew about the sale of his two properties and hence, hatched a conspiracy with Bagwe. “Earlier, Malik and his wife Mubeena had taken Rs 10 lakh from me to buy an office with me as co-owner, but that also didn’t materialise. They gave me two cheques which were dishonoured,” the complaint states.

Ali had lodged a complaint with Vishrambaug police station, but the police didn’t register an FIR, following which he moved the court. The warrant was issued as Bagwe didn’t appear before the court.

When contacted, Bagwe said, “I have nothing to do with Ali. He has filed the case at the instigation of my political opponents. I am taking a legal opinion about the case.”